Chen Charged For Butchering Brooklyn Family Over Jealousy Of Life Style

Ming Dong Chen

NYC police say, suspect confessed to butchering his cousin's wife and four children with knife on late Saturday over his jealousy of their life style.

By H. Nelson Goodson

October 28, 2013

Brooklyn, New York - On Sunday, Ming Dong Chen, 25, an immigrant from China who only speaks Mandarin was charged with five felony counts of first-degree murder for the brutal stabbing deaths of Qiao Zhen Li, 37, and her children, Linda Zhuo, 9; Amy Zhuo, 7; Kevin Zhuo, 5; and William Zhuo, 1, were fatally stabbed at their Sunset Park duplex. Two of the victims, Zen Li and Kevin were transported to a nearby hospital, but both were pronounced dead on arrival. Linda, Amy and William were found in a bedroom and were pronounced dead at the scene. 

Chen through a Mandarin translator confessed to police that he became jealous of his cousin's family because they were doing well in America and he was not. He was temporarily staying with his cousin's family for a week when on Saturday just before 11:00 p.m. Chen acting on his jealousy impluse got a butcher cleaver (machete type) and slaughtered the entire family. He had been in the U.S. for ten years and wasn't happy that everyone that he knew were doing better than he was. Chen had lost several jobs and couldn't hold a steady job for more than several weeks, family members told media outlets. He was staying with family members that would take him until he got a job.

Zen Li's husband had told Chen that he had to leave their house and could no longer support him. Chen reacted after his cousin went to work and killed Zen Li and her children, according to police.

Chen's cousin who is the father of the children was at work when his family was butchered to death. He came home on early Sunday to find police investigators at his home.

Several relatives who came to check on Zen Li on late Saturday saw Chen with blood on his clothes when he answered the door. The relatives didn't know Chen, so they fled from the area in horror and immediately call police. Several detectives nearby responded to the scene and took Chen into custody after resisting arrest. The detectives soon discovered the grizzly homicides inside the two floor home. The bodies, which showed multiple stab wounds to the chest, necks and other parts of the body were found in a bedroom and the kitchen.